The Canadian government, via the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Quebec Lieutenant, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, has announced nearly CAN$10.5 million in funding for eight rural broadband projects. The funding is part of Canada’s “Connect to Innovate” program.
The projects will focus on the deployment of fiber-optic network infrastructure in rural Quebec. The four awards include:
- CAN$1,015,368 to Télébec for two fiber broadband projects that will provide high-speed internet in the community of Belcourt, located northeast of Val-d'Or, and in the area of Launay in the Abitibi Regional County Municipality
- CAN$7,500,000 to TELUS to deploy fiber broadband infrastructure to deliver high-speed internet to 18 communities located northwest of Baie-Comeau
- CAN$1,019,925 to Bell Canada for three fiber network projects to support high-speed internet delivery in the communities of Saint-Pie-de-Guire, located northwest of Drummondville; Lac-à-la Truite, located southeast of Thetford Mines; and Saint-Séverin and Saint-Frédéric, located northeast of Thetford Mines
- CAN$927,938 to Groupe Maskatel LP for two fiber broadband projects to provide high-speed internet in the community of Saint-Lucien, located east of Drummondville, and Lac Bolduc, located southeast of Thetford Mines.
"The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that every single household and business has access to high-speed internet,” commented Rodriquez. “By investing in eight new projects through the Connect to Innovate program, we are continuing to bridge the digital divide so Canadians in Quebec's rural regions can equally benefit from all the advantages the digital world has to offer."
The Connect to Innovate program has already funded projects that serve more than 50 rural and remote communities in Canada (see "Canadian Government tackles rural broadband"). These networks have the potential to bring improved internet speeds to more than 25,000 households, the government estimates. Additional projects are underway to improve connectivity for 150 communities, which have the potential to reach 50,000 households by the end of 2020. Overall, the Connect to Innovate effort aims to benefit more than 750 communities and potentially 250,000 households via projects to be completed by the end of 2021.
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